The Institute for Impact Assessment and Scientific Evaluation of Policy and Legislation

Focus on solid evidence will strengthen policy on alcohol excise duties

 

July 10th 2017

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The European Commission’s Inception Impact Assessment on the Excise Duties on Alcohol provides a mostly sound basis for evidence-based policy making in this domain.  As work continues towards a legislative proposal, it must be ensured that all viable policy options are fully assessed and backed up by sound data.  This includes in particular, the assessment of the impact of excise duties both according to categories and to alcoholic strength.  These are the conclusions of a study by the Impact Assessment Institute.

 

Today the Impact Assessment Institute is submitting a new study as its contribution to the public consultation that ends today on excise duties on alcohol and alcoholic beverages.  The study scrutinises the European Commission’s Inception Impact Assessment (IIA) on this subject, concluding that it presents a generally balanced platform for further policy making.

 

The study recommends ensuring that all assumptions and analysis are fully backed up in the future Impact Assessment by documented evidence, since for some assertions a robust basis is not presented.  Further, the assessed policy options should include all viable scenarios, including excise duties determined by category and by alcoholic strength.  This would be highly informative for policy makers and stakeholders, ensuring a comprehensive and balanced view of the effects of all viable options.

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Link to study

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